Binding tensioner



Jan. 24, 1961 o. B. HARMES BINDING wsusxomm 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed April 15-," 1955 Jan. 24, 1961 o. B. HARMES BINDING TENSIONER Filed April '15, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 fivnvvzve flaw 6. #201155 wzm BINDING TENSIONER Gren B. Hermes, Algona, Iowa Filed Apr. 15, 1955, Ser. No. 501,691

6 Claims. (Cl. 25451) This invention relates to binding tensioners. More particularly, it relates to devices for tensioriing elongated b'indingelements such as metal straps whLle arranged in encircling relation to an object to be bound and preparatory to having their end portions fixedly secured to'geiher and thus maintained under tension.

Elongated binding elements such as metal straps have 'long been used to secure various packages, con ainers, etc. preparatory to rough handling during *shippng. Various devices have "been designed to engage adjacent portions of such binding elements while the elements encircle the object to be bound and to apply tension to the "binding element and hold it under such tension until the adjacent portions have been secured together, whereupon the strap is released and overlapping end portions cut 053. 'It is difficult, however, to gauge the tension appled .to such binding elements and as a result excessive 'ten ion "is frequently applied and the strap breaks, with subsequent unnecessary waste of time and materials and at times even injury to the operator. My invention .is

directed toward eliminating these disadvantages.

It is a general object of my invention to provide a novel and improved binding .tensi-oner ofsimpleand inexpensive construction and operation.

A more specific object is to provide a novel and'im- .proved binding .tensioner having inherent means for preventing excessive tension being applied to the binding element- Another object is to provide a novel binding tensioner of simple and inexpensive construction and operation constructed and .arranged to prevent the application of excessive tension to the binding element 'and's'eectively adjustable to prevent suchexcesstensionatvarious levels.

Anotherobject is to provideya novel binding'tens'oner which will automatically and positively lock the tghtening mechanism against further .tig'hteningwhen a given predetermined tension has been reached in -the binding 4 element.

"ti'on'made in connection withthe accompanying draw- "ings,'Whereinilike 'reference'characters refer to thesa'me *or similar parts throughout the several views, "and in which:

Fig. '1 'is a ,plan'view of one embodiment of my -in-' "vention with the binding 'element being shown in broken lines;

:Fig. 2 is as'id'e 'levational "viewof'i'the same;

Fig. is "a vertical sectional view taken 'along line 3'-"3 ofFig. 1; Y

States Patent Fig. 4 is a fragmentary sectional view taken along-l'ne 3-3 of Fig. 1 and showing the tensioner in released position; and

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view taken along line 5-5 of Fig. 1.

One embodiment of my invention, as shown in Figs. 1-5, may include a base member 6 which has a pair of laterally spaced upstanding rib members 7 and 8. This base member has mounted thereon a binding-elementengaging mechanism indicated generally as B. This binding mechanism is adapted to positively engage one end portion 9 of a metal binding strap 10 so that the remaining portions of the strap may *be passed around the container to be bound by the binding element and then brought to a position adjacent and directly above the end portion '9 and engaged by the remainder of the device for tightening of the tensioning element. The manner in which the other end portion 11 of the bfnding element 10 is engaged can best be seen in Fig. 2. The construction described h-ereinbef-ore is well-known in the art, and further details of its construction and operation can be obtained from the Gerrard Steel Strapping Division of the United States Steel Corporation, 2915 West 47th Street, Chicago 32, Illinois. That compan; currently manufactures and sells a binding tensioner wherein the base and the binding-engaging mechanism is constructed identically with that shown herein, and further details thereof can. be found in a circular issued by that company entitled, Operating, Maintenance Instruc tions and Repair Parts List, Model-40 Stretcher, the folder bearing the identification E-2, 20C ll53. This construction is wellkn-own in the art and is old 'and constitutes no part of the 'applicants invention except inso"ar as the base member 6 provides a mounting for the remainder of the device and the strap-engaging mechanism .servesto hold one end portion of the'strap 10 during the tightening operation. My invention is directed toward a means for preventing excessive tension being appl'ed by such a structure to the binding element, and to means for quickly and effectively releasing the binding element once the adjacent portions thereof have been secured together in the conventional manner.

The above mechanism also includes a locking and cutting block 12 which carries a shear lever 13 through the use of which the end portion 11 of the strap 10 may be severed when the binding operation has been completed and the adjacent portions of the strap, as shown in Fig. 2,

have been secured together in one of the conventional being secured by a nut 18 to the threaded end of the shaft carrying the drum 15. Thus when the end portion 11 of the'strap is inserted in the slot 16 in loose relation, turning of the knob 17 will cause the strap to wind around the drum 15 and thereby become positively secured thereto prior to the tightening operation.

The medial portion 19 of the shaft which carries the drum 15 is square. in cross-section, as best shown in Fig. 4, :and carries thereon a tensionratchet 20 which is best .shown in;Figs. 3 and 4. Also mounted'on the shaft which :.carries the drum 15 is a forkedsmember 21, the forks 22 'and 230i which extend around the shaft which carries the drum 15 at 'opposite sides of the tension-ratchet 20.

T his for'kedmember ,21- has-amentral boresZla :at its upper a small driving pawl spring 30 which constantly urges the driving pawl 28 against the tension ratchet 20 so that as the drum 15, the driving pawl will drive the tension ratchet and cause the drum 15 to be rotated and wind the metal strap therearound to apply tension to the strap.

Mounted on the base member 6 is a long holding pawl 31 and a short holding pawl 32. Each of these pawls is constantly urged upwardly by a spring such as 33 so as to normally engage and hold the tension ratchet 26 against backward rotation when the driving pawl is released therefrom.

Also mounted on the forked member 21 is a pivot pin 34 upon which is pivotally mounted a locking pawl 35. Connected with the locking pawl 35 and extending rearwardly therefrom is a camming block 36 which carries an actuating cam 37 at its underside. A spring 38 is secured to the camming block 36 and to the pivot lever 25 so that normally the locking pawl is held in non-locking position, as shown in Fig. 3. The actuating cam is springloaded, as best shown in Fig. 4, and the spring 39 constantly urges the actuating cam 37 downwardly against the pivot lever 25. An abutment post 40 is also mounted on the forked member 21 in position to prevent the grooved end of the pivot lever from moving therebeyond when it pivots about the pivot pin 24.

Threaded on the threaded end portion 21b of the forked member 21 is an elongated rigid sleeve 41. This sleeve has a bored plug 42 in its outermost end which is internally threaded, and the sleeve itself is internally threaded at its innermost end to threadedly engage the threaded end portion 21b of the forked member 21, as best shown in Fig. 3. A cap member 43 is secured to the outermost end of the sleeve 41 and it has an opening in its outermost end to receive an externally threaded compression adjustment rod 44 which carries a grip member 45 at its outer end, the grip member being hollow and the compression adjustment rod being connected thereto by the cap screw 46. As best shown in Fig. 3, the innermost end of the compression adjustment rod is threaded and threadedly engaged by the plug 42.

Mounted in the central bore of the outer end portion of the forked member 21 is a rod 47 which carries a toggle member 48 at its innermost end, the toggle member 48 having its innermost end rounded and adapted to fit into the grooved end portion 26 of the pivot lever 25. The outermost end of the rod 47 has an outwardly extending flange 49 and a projecting central peg 50 which provides a seat for the innermost end of a compression spring 51. The outermost end of the spring 51 is provided with a spring seat 52 which has a peg 53 extending within the compression spring. A metal ball 54 is positioned in a groove portion of the seat 52 and in the groove portion of the inner end of the compression adjustment rod 44 so that the compression adjustment rod may be readily turned relative to the seat 52 and the spring member 51 to adjust the compression as desired upon that spring.

Extending downwardly from the forked member 21 is a bracket 55 and slidably carried within that bracket is a trip rod 56, the trip rod extending forwardly and carrying a holding pawl releasing cam 57 at its inner end portion. Also secured to the trip rod 56 is a trip member 58 which, as best shown in Fig. 3, curves slightly upwardly. A spring member 59 constantly urges the trip member and the holding pawl releasing cam toward nonengaging position relative to the holding pawls. The releasing cam 57 normally engages a rubber bumper 60 during the operation of the device, this rubber bumper being spring-loaded and supported by a bumper spring 61 the forked member 21 is swung around the shaft carrying which is carried within the base member 6. Directly ahead of the rubber bumper 60 on the base member 6 is an inclined camming surface 62 which is engaged by the holding pawl releasing cam when the trip rod is forced forwardly, as best shown in Fig. 4.

In use, the compression on the spring 51 is set at the desired compression by regulation of the compression adjustment rod 44. This will have been determined by testing so that the handle portion of the device may be calibrated to show at what tension on the binding element 10 the pivot lever 25 will pivot about its pivot pin 24. After the device has been set at the desired tension through the adjustment of the compression adjustment rod, the free end of the strap 10 is placed in the strap-engaging mechanism and secured therewithin in a manner well-known within the art. The remainder of the strap 10 is then placed in encircling relation to the object or container to be bound, and then brought under the guide pin 14 and passed through the slot 16 of the winding drum 15. The knurled knob 17 is then turned manually until the end portion 11 of the strap is wound several times around the drum to securely fasten the strap thereto. The handle portion of the device is then moved in the direction of the arrows shown in Fig. 2. In so doing, the driving pawl 28 engages the tension ratchet 20 and causes the drum 15 to rotate and thereby shorten the portion of the strap 10 which extends around the container to be bound and applies tension to it. During the movement of the tension lever T in the direction opposite to the arrows shown in Fig. 2, the holding pawls 31 and 32 prevent the tension ratchet from unwinding and thus the tension is maintained upon the strap 10. During the next movement forward in the direction of the arrows shown in Fig. 2, additional tension will be applied through the rotation of the tension ratchet 20 by the driving pawl 28.

When the predetermined tension has been applied to the strap 10, the torque applied to the pivot lever 25 by the driving pawl 28 as a result of the resistance applied thereto by the tension ratchet 20, will cause the pivot lever 25 to pivot about the pivot pin 24 to the position shown in Fig. 4. In order for this to take place, the toggle member 48 will have to force the rod 47 outwardly against the compression of the compression spring 51. Thus it can be seen that the amount of torque necessary to cause the pivot lever 25 to pivot depends upon the amount of compression applied by the compression spring 51 to the rod 47.

When the pivot lever 25 pivots to the position shown in Fig. 4, it forces the actuating cam 37 upwardly, which in turn swings camming block 36 and the locking pawl 35 about the pivot pin 34 of the camming block. This causes the locking pawl 35 to engage one of the teeth shown on he locking plate L and prevent further movement of the tension lever T in the direction of the arrows shown in Fig. 2. Thus a positive lock is provided to prevent addit onal tension being applied to the binding strap 10. In this manner positive means is provided for preventing excessive tension being applied to the binding element 10. The adjacent portions of the strap 10, namely the end portion 9 and the portion of the strap directly thereabove as shown in Fig. 2, are secured together by a binding sleeve or other means well-known in the art, and then the binding operation has been completed and the device need only be freed from the strap.

To accomplish the removal of the device from the binding strap is a simple matter with my machine. To do so, the trip rod 56 is forced inwardly so that the holding pawl releasing cam 57 may engage the camming surface 62, as shown in Fig. 4. Downward movement of the tension lever T in the direction of the arrow shown in Fig. 3 will cause the holding pawl releasing cam to be cammed forwardly and to force the trip 58 to engage the lower end of the driving pawl 28 and forces it forwardy, thereby releasing the driving pawl so that so far W t "W steeper 5 as the driving pawl. is concerned, the tension ratehet is free to unwind in a reverse direction. However, the holding 'pj'awls 31 and 32 continue 'to hold the tension "ratchet 20 until they are released, and this is accomplished by the additional forward movement of the trip 58 which, as best. shown. in Fig. 4, engages the outer end of the holding pawls 31 and 32 and forces them downwardly, thereby releasing the tension "ratchet 20. This eifects the complete release of the tensionnon the strap 10, and thereafter the shear lever 13 is moved in the direction of the'arrow associated therewith in Fig. 2, whereupon the cutting block 12 will accomplish the shearing of the strap in a manner well-known to the art.

The downward swinging movement of the tension lever T causes the locking pawl 35 to be urged outwardly as it rides along the respective teeth of the locking plate L and this causes the pivot lever 25 to swing back into its original position so that the machine is immediately ready for re-use for the application of tension to the strap in the next binding operation.

The purpose of the spring-loaded actuating cam 37 is to avoid damage to the mechanism if the pivot lever 25 happens to swing at a point during the arc of movement of the tension lever T so that the locking pawl will engage the more outwardly extending portions of the teeth of the locking plate L. When this happens, the spring 39 is compressed slightly, thereby enabling the tension lever to move an additional distance in the direction of the arrow shown in Fig. 2, and avoid bending of the pivot lever 25.

My binding tensioner has a number of distinct advantages. The primary advantage, of course, is that it prevents excessive tension being applied to the binding element and thereby avoids the possibility of the binding element breaking either during the binding operation or while the goods are en route during shipment. In this manner, a very substantial loss of material and time is avoided. In addition, I have completely eliminated the possibility of injury from flying strap portions when the metal strap is broken from excessive tension. At the same time, I have eliminated substantial loss of goods as a result of the binding breaking during shipment when excessive tension has been applied to the binding element and an additional jar is enough to cause the binding element to snap.

An additional advantage is the fact that my device acts automatically during the tensioning operation to prevent excessive tension being applied to the binding element. Moreover, it positively locks the mechanism against applying additional tension so that excessive tension cannot be inadvertently applied even if it were so desired. My binding tensioner positively locks the device against the application of further tension when the desired predetermined tension is reached. There is no manual adjustment or any other operation required to provide this locking result.

An additional advantage is that my binding tensioner automatically resets itself so that it is ready for utilization in the next binding operation. Moreover, it is selectively adjustable to any desired predetermined tension so that it is possible through the use of my binding tensioner, to bind containers or packages with whatever tension is desired upon the binding element.

It should also be noted that my binding tensioner may be released in a very simple and easy manner without any danger whatsoever to the operator and without any danger of damage to the machine itself.

It will, of course, be understood that various changes may be made in the form, details, arrangement and proportions of the various parts without departing from the scope of my invention.

What is claimed is:

1. A binding tensioner comprising mechanism for engaging adjacent but longitudinally spaced portions of an elongated binding arranged in encircling relationship to an object "to Be nonnd and for tightening the binding around the object, said mechanism including rotary frightening mechanism for applying the tension to the binding, lever'm'echanismengaging said tightening mechanism directly for rotating the same and including a shiftab-1y f'm'ounted torqu'e responsive toggle lever constructed and arranged to shift position when a predetermined torque exceeded in attempting to rotate said tightening me 'anistn further; and locking mechanism connected with said binding engaging and tightening mechanism and actuated by said fleve'r when a predetermined tension is rea hed: "for locking s'aid rotary tightening mechanism "against applying further tension to the binding.

'2; binding tensioner comprising mechanism for engaging adjacent but longitudinally spaced portions of an elongated binding element arranged in encircling relationship to an object to be bound and for tightening the binding element around the object, an automatic tension responsive controlling mechanism connected with said binding element engaging and tightening mechanism, said controlling mechanism in lockable relation including a spring-loaded toggle-actuated tension-responsive lever connected with said tightening mechanism and a lock member movably mounted adjacent said tightening mechanism and actuated by said lever into locking relation therewith when a predetermined tension is exceeded.

3. A binding tensioner comprising, mechanism for engaging adjacent but longitudinally spaced portions of an elongated binding arranged in encircling relation to an object to be bound therewith and for tightening the binding around the object, automatic tension-responsive controlling mechanism directly engaging said binding engaging and tightening mechanism in tension responsive relation to the tension placed on the binding by said mechanism, and a locking mechanism associated with and being disposed adjacent said tension-responsive control ling mechanism and arranged in actuated relation there with and being connected with said binding engaging and tightening mechanism, said locking mechanism being actuated by said tension-responsive controlling mechanism to positively lock said tightening mechanism against applying additional tension to the binding once a predetermined tension has been exceeded.

4. A binding tensioner comprising, a mechanism for engaging adjacent but longitudinally spaced portions of an elongated binding arranged in encircling relationship to an object to be bound therewith and for tightening the binding around the object, a tension responsive toggle mechanism connected with said binding engaging and tightening mechanism in tension responsive relation, and a lock mechanism associated with said tension responsive mechanism and being connected with said binding engaging and tightening mechanism, said lock mechanism being disposed adjacent to said tension-responsive toggle mechanism and arranged in actuated relation therewith to positively lock said tightening mechanism against applying additional tension to the binding once a predeter mined tension has been exceeded.

5. A binding tensioner comprising, a mechanism for engaging adjacent but longitudinally spaced portions of an elongated binding arranged in encircling relation to an object to be bound and for tightening the binding around the object, said mechanism including a torqueactuated rotary tightening mechanism for applying the tension to the binding, and a torque-responsive automatic tension controlling mechanism connected with said rotary tightening mechanism in tension-responsive relation and including a lever, and lock mechanism associated with said torque-responsive tension mechanism and being connected with said rotary tightening mechanism, said lock mechanism being disposed adjacent said lever and arranged in actuated relation therewith to positively lock said tightening mechanism from applying additional tension to the binding over and above a predetermined ten sion, when the torque of the rotary tightening mechanism sive lever mechanism and arranged in actuated relation therewith and being connected with said tightening mechanism, said locking mechanism being-actuated by said. tension-responsive lever mechanism to positively lock the tightening mechanism against applying additional tension to the binding over and above a predetermined tension.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,963,593 Prindle June 19, 1934 2,594,891 Embree Apr. 29, 1952 2,638,314 McFerren et al May 12, 1953 2,662,436 Harmes Dec. 15, 1953 

